215 replies to this topic

[Pablo]

Understood.

When I said "testing", I meant a few laps to make sure it runs good, then back to the vintage box
Not weeks of testing on different tracks with heavy glue
I'm going to make mine just like Lee's as much as possible......

Now, where is that doggone mini-torch ?

[dc-65x]

......When I said "testing", I meant a few laps to make sure it runs good, then back to the vintage box......

I don't know Pablo. When you start making laps with that Master Blaster it can become addicting.
It's tons-O-fun to hammer a heavy 70's Pro car on a King!

[Pablo]

Gear planning:
I found a 1/8, 48 pitch spur marked "D & F", 32 tooth. OD is a red hair larger than ground zero, perfect.
A retro pink Parma crown sleeve shims it up perfect, with some trimming of length.
A 7 tooth modern angled 48 pitch pinion should be perfect. Unless the VP have a problem with it

I'm going to actually install a jig pinion on the jig motor for fitting purposes.

Rear jig blocks .8125 no problemo.

The devil is in the setup

[dc-65x]

Hi Pablo,
Can I send you a Cox 32T spur like Lee used?

[Pablo]

Yes, please, send it. OD should mike about .700, eh ? Is the width .265 ?

[Bill from NH]

You might want to build a second motor, just in case you get tempted to "test" it longer than originally planned.<G> Take one of your other Green cans, or another C-can, & stuff it with an X-12 arm from your PA Watson days.

[Pablo]

My "three days with PA Watson" days ?

[Bill from NH]

That's more than my 45 minutes with him at the 1997 Nats discussing body painting.

[Pablo]

Cox spur width should be about .265 wide, so I used a 3/32 OD dummy gear boss that was .265

Lee said remove approx. 1/3 of the tube, I was always scared of this step. It was easy, I ain't skeered no more

I am using modern Slick 7 racing bushings, do the VP have a problem with that ?



Jig motor has 7 T ARP pinion installed for fitting

[dc-65x]

Hi Pablo,

OK, the Cox 32T gear is .278" wide and has a diameter of .715. I don't have any vintage conventional (non-angled) steel 7T pinions. I got piles of brass ones I've been using. Someone must make a modern 7T non-angled steel pinion for you to use? If not I can send you a vintage brass pinion.

Do you need a purple non threaded Jet flag like Lee used?

[dc-65x]

I am using modern Slick 7 racing bushings, do the VP have a problem with that ?

Pablo,

All I can offer is this. Since you're making this car for yourself, the more you can make it like Lee's the more it will mean to you over time. It will be as close to what the "real deal" was like as you could have made it....and you will love it.

[Pablo]

Rick, please send the 32T Cox gear. That is one size I do not have.

I have Jet Flags, and I have new 7T 48 P brass pinions. I plan to angle my motor a little more forward than Lee did. As a matter of fact, Lee talks about motor angle in the article, and recommends against going full sidewinder. Is it out of the question to believe someone made an angled 7T pinion in 1973 ?

[Bill from NH]

Pablo, angled pinions didn't exist in 1973. As a matter of fact, by 1973 here in the Northeast, nobody was still running 48 pitch gears. Everybody had been running Fass 64 pitch for a couple years. I found two straight cut 7T 48 pitch steel pinions. If you'd like one, let me know.

[Pablo]

OK I am convinced Sorry for my hard-head
I found a Sonic 7T straight steel pinion. Thanks anyway, Bill

I was tired yesterday after 7 nights of 12 hour shifts Another mistake I made was, I meant the Slick 7 bushings are for mock up only; I have a nice pair of BB's to use for the final touches.

Mopar Rob, are you lurking out there ? How is THAT for "building slow" ? ---- a full day of planning, and not a single solder joint yet

Rick, thanks for keeping me straight I now have a 7T brass press on pinion on the jig motor, and the straight steel Sonic pinion on the way.....

[Pablo]

All jigged up, aligned and centered. The small holes on the new Rick's Jig come in real handy.
I used a small pin to align the motor, that way there will be no guessing at rail clearance and fit.
Now, where is that doggone White-Out ?

[Steve Deiters]

Rick, please send the 32T Cox gear. That is one size I do not have.

I have Jet Flags, and I have new 7T 48 P brass pinions. I plan to angle my motor a little more forward than Lee did. As a matter of fact, Lee talks about motor angle in the article, and recommends against going full sidewinder. Is it out of the question to believe someone made an angled 7T pinion in 1973 ?

I don't believe that anyone made an "angled" pinion in that era, but I do rememer that Dynamic made a a brass pinion gear as a match to their alumnium spur gears. The pinions did have a distinctive profile to them.

[Pablo]

Tinned pairs of .063 wires and .055 wires.
The only reason I took a picture is somebody may not realize how important it is to tin the wire.
Lee does not mention it, probably because in 1972 they never expected chassis to last very long.
Or that there would be freaks like me in the future who want them to last

Philippe de Lespinay taught us how to do it. My method is, I sand the wire with 400 grit. Slather with acid. Load Weller 8200N Gun with a good dollop of 60/40 solder. Tin half the length of the wire. Wipe quickly, several times , while the solder is still wet. Set aside, tin the next wire. Then go back and tin the other half. The Weller Gun is absolutely the best tool for tinning wire. Now the wire will not rust.



PS Thanks Steve D.

[S.O. Watt]

Tinned pairs of .063 wires and .055 wires.
The only reason I took a picture is somebody may not realize how important it is to tin the wire.
Lee does not mention it, probably because in 1972 they never expected chassis to last very long.
Or that there would be freaks like me in the future who want them to last

K&S piano wire back then was plated. Thus there was no need to plate it.

[Pablo]

Ahhhhh Thanks Tom

[S.O. Watt]

A slight clarification-

K&S 12" long pieces were tin plated while the 36" pieces weren't. K&S discontinued the 12" packages awhile back to all our's remorse. So occasionally frames did get built out of non-plated wire if the shop was out of stock of the preferred "good stuff" back in the day. Or if the builder used the 36" stock for economic reasons.

[Pablo]

The article is not perfect. Maybe Dona was a distraction. Stage II even confuses right/left sides, At one point in the narrative, Lee says "just make your thing look like the pictures".

My half-rails are done. Others before me trimmed the half rails at different (staggered) lengths. I trimmed mine equal lengths with regards to fore and aft. Maybe I'm right, maybe I'm wrong.

[Bill from NH]

Pablo, those plated 12" lengths of K&S piano wire used to be nickel each, regardless of size, whether they were .063, .055, .047. or .032. They weren't prepackaged in those days either, so you could buy just one piece, a dozen, or however many you wanted.

[Pablo]

Interesting info.

Now, back to 2012,

I took the skeleton off the jig for a sanity check. Everything is going OK (I hope)

[Old pink can guy]

Pablo lookin good. Just do not forget to turn the pans around skinney part foward. LMAO. Ken

[Pablo]

Ahhhh hahahha Ken That is good gouge